"There's a Cleopatra project in works, meaning that it's been in development at Sony. And it's a subject that's always fascinated me," he says, though he points out that no decisions have been finalized.

"But it sounds hot, doesn't it? I mean, Angelina Jolie and Cleopatra? To me, that's like a slam dunk," he continues. "Whether I wind up doing it or not, I think it's going to be a great project."

In an Essence.com story called "Another White Actress to Play Cleopatra?" published in June, the author blasted Sony's casting decision.

"Honestly, I don't care how full Angelina Jolie's lips are, how many African children she adopts, or how bronzed her skin will become for the film," the author complained. "I firmly believe this role should have gone to a black woman."